Yogi Berra and Whitey Ford swapping autographs with Roger Clemens in the hall that leads from the clubhouse to the coaches’ room.

Goose Gossage talking about the importance of drilling hitters and then surrendering a home run to Cliff Johnson, the man with whom he had a fistfight in the shower in ’79.

Still-sculpted Reggie Jackson wishing he could give the crowd one more home run, if only his back didn’t ache so badly he couldn’t swing a bat.

Hank Bauer and Moose Skowron, captivating their audiences with Casey Stengel yarns. Did you know Stengel made Skowron go to Arthur Murray Dance School three times a week during the spring of ’54? Now you do. The idea was it would improve his footwork enough for him to master first base, the only open position. Skowron loves to dance to this day, thanks to Casey.

Bob Cerv, talking about what it was like rooming with Roger Maris and Mickey Mantle in ’61 – the theme of the latest Old Timers’ Day.

All that history packed into one day, yet it was the present and future that assumed the most significance.

The number 61 remained a significant one, yet the meaning changed.

The news of the day: At 61 years old, Joe Torre’s passion for managing the Yankees has not wavered one iota.

Torre emerged from a one-on-one meeting with George Steinbrenner completely reassured that Steinbrenner wants him to return as manager as much as he wants to return.

It shouldn’t have been an issue, but Steinbrenner being who he is and Torre’s contract being what it is, one that runs through only this season, the popular manager felt uneasy enough that he requested and was granted a meeting with The Boss.

“When we sit across the table from one another, we may not agree on everything,” Torre said. “I sense we have a mutual respect and respect is a big word for me.”

Respect is what Torre commands in the Yankees’ clubhouse. His honest, overt approach with players and ownership goes a long way toward killing the sort of controversy that can rip apart a baseball team that runs the marathon that is a 162-game season.

It hasn’t gotten to Torre, who looks, feels and acts younger than his 61 years.

Torre wants to continue to manage the Yankees for “as long as it’s fun and I feel good and I do feel good. But the fun part is the biggest part.”

Part of what makes it so enjoyable for Torre is living in New York. His daughter, Andrea Rae, is starting kindergarten in the fall. He would prefer she not get pulled in and out of schools the way his children from a previous marriage were.

“When I was a player, I didn’t have any control over that,” Torre said of his moves. “And to be perfectly honest, I was too selfish to have that as a priority, unfortunately. I guess you learn from that as you get older.”

Torre and Steinbrenner didn’t reach any contractual agreement yesterday in their meeting. They will. The Boss didn’t build the Yankee empire into what it is today by making bad decisions and doing anything other than giving Torre an extension, at roughly $5 million per season, would qualify as a bad decision.

To know Torre will sign a multi-year extension is to know the Yankees have a man who has no agenda other than winning, a man who knows how to give the players what they want enough that they will be there to give that little extra something when their bodies want to shut it down.

From Steinbrenner’s perspective, to know Torre will be back is to know he has a manager who won’t be knifing him in the back, won’t be talking off-the-record to reporters about him, won’t be an ingrate.